West Virginia - the northernmost Southern state? (Man: living, move)
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If WV was still part of Virginia it would be considered a southern state and since it was once part of Virginia it's still a southern state. By the way Virginia(Lee County) actually extends 95 miles farther west than West Virginia does. Maybe they need to revisit the name and go with Kanawha.
If WV isn't a southern state, then why does everyone I know from there have a southern accent?
West Virginia was part of Virginia at one time, thus the name West Virginia. It is not so much a Southern accent as it is Appalachia. In Virginia the accent changes from the Appalachian part of the State to the rest of the State.
West Virginia was part of Virginia at one time, thus the name West Virginia. It is not so much a Southern accent as it is Appalachia. In Virginia the accent changes from the Appalachian part of the State to the rest of the State.
It should be noted though that in my opinion accents are fading fast in this country among the 30 and under groups. Some people still have their regional accents and some have slight traces of accents but I've noticed accents are on the way out. People are more mobile and move around so much, and we grew up with a lot of tv.
It should be noted though that in my opinion accents are fading fast in this country among the 30 and under groups. Some people still have their regional accents and some have slight traces of accents but I've noticed accents are on the way out. People are more mobile and move around so much, and we grew up with a lot of tv.
You would think so, wouldn't you? Everyone on national television, movies, television shows, etc has the standard American accent, not the Bostonian accent, not the southern accent, none of that, yet living in Mississippi tells me how important regions are to accents. There are people with accents so thick here it's difficult to understand what they're saying, and I'll sometimes have to ask them to repeat what they said.
States like North Carolina and Georgia may see their accents fade in parts, since Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill is a very fast growing area, populated mostly by transplants from the northern states, same with Atlanta, but the rest of the southern states are slow growing or stagnant with very little outside influence and very little ambition for people to leave their state or hometown. If accents are fading, it's an isolated thing right now, because in the deep south no amount of mobile access to popular American movies and culture has has had an effect on the local accents.
You would think so, wouldn't you? Everyone on national television, movies, television shows, etc has the standard American accent, not the Bostonian accent, not the southern accent, none of that, yet living in Mississippi tells me how important regions are to accents. There are people with accents so thick here it's difficult to understand what they're saying, and I'll sometimes have to ask them to repeat what they said.
States like North Carolina and Georgia may see their accents fade in parts, since Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill is a very fast growing area, populated mostly by transplants from the northern states, same with Atlanta, but the rest of the southern states are slow growing or stagnant with very little outside influence and very little ambition for people to leave their state or hometown. If accents are fading, it's an isolated thing right now, because in the deep south no amount of mobile access to popular American movies and culture has has had an effect on the local accents.
Very good points. I think one factor that forces one to change their accent is when you have actual verbal conversations with someone of another accent, then you are pressured more to adapt to accent that you would expect the person you are speaking with to understand and the speaker also tends to attemtp to please the listener as a courtesy.
Very good points. I think one factor that forces one to change their accent is when you have actual verbal conversations with someone of another accent, then you are pressured more to adapt to accent that you would expect the person you are speaking with to understand and the speaker also tends to attemtp to please the listener as a courtesy.
Sometimes this is true. I know several people in the local area who come from the west coast or northern states and have been living in Mississippi for some time. Many of them pick up on the southern accent and adopt it. I however, have not, perhaps I don't mingle with the locals enough, or maybe I'm stubborn, or maybe I'm bad at adopting new accents.
Location: Appalachian New York, Formerly Louisiana
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Originally Posted by ColdAilment
Sometimes this is true. I know several people in the local area who come from the west coast or northern states and have been living in Mississippi for some time. Many of them pick up on the southern accent and adopt it. I however, have not, perhaps I don't mingle with the locals enough, or maybe I'm stubborn, or maybe I'm bad at adopting new accents.
For some accents can be absorbed like water to a sponge, to others, not so much.
I'm in the middle. I have this strange combination of Louisiana southern and upstate New Yorkish. I can feel it sometimes. Even though I've naturally adopted much of the local accent over six years I still say few things in that strange Irish/Canadian way my family does.
One thing you never lose is certain slang terms. String beans is one example. Here everybody calls them green beans instead.
For some accents can be absorbed like water to a sponge, to others, not so much.
I'm in the middle. I have this strange combination of Louisiana southern and upstate New Yorkish. I can feel it sometimes. Even though I've naturally adopted much of the local accent over six years I still say few things in that strange Irish/Canadian way my family does.
One thing you never lose is certain slang terms. String beans is one example. Here everybody calls them green beans instead.
Lol! I have never heard them referred to as string beans! I'm a midwesterner by birth, and it's always been green beans to me. Local pronounciations of words is something else that gives away the area of the country some people come from. In most of the midwest people call it pop, everywhere else they call it soda. In most northern states it's called car-mel, in most southern states it's called care-a-mel. Many such words.
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